Trans Sulawesi Expedition 19 Days 18 Nights

Sulawesi, formerly known as Celebes (/ˈsɛlᵻbiːz/ or /sᵻˈliːbiːz/), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger populations. Sulawesi comprises four peninsulas: the northern Minahasa Peninsula; the East Peninsula; the South Peninsula; and the South-east Peninsula. Three gulfs separate these peninsulas: the Gulf of Tomini between northern Minahasa peninsula and East Peninsula; the Tolo Gulf between East and Southeast Peninsula; and the Bone Gulf between the South and Southeast Peninsula. The Strait of Makassar runs along the western side of the island and separates the island from Borneo.

Name of SulawesiThe name Sulawesi possibly comes from the words sula ("island") and besi ("iron") and may refer to the historical export of iron from the rich Lake Matano iron deposits.[ It came into common use in English following Indonesian independence.

The name Celebes was originally given to the island by Portuguese explorers.

GeologyThe island slopes up from the shores of the deep seas surrounding the island to a high, mostly non-volcanic, mountainous interior. Active volcanoes are found in the northern Minahassa Peninsula, stretching north to the Sangihe Islands. The northern peninsula contains several active volcanoes such as Mount Lokon, Mount Awu, Soputan and Karangetang. According to plate reconstructions, the island is believed to have been formed by the collision of terranes from the Asian Plate (forming the west and southwest) and from the Australian Plate (forming the southeast and Banggai), with island arcs previously in the Pacific (forming the north and east peninsulas).

Because of its several tectonic origin, faults scar the land; as a result, the island is prone to earthquakes. Sulawesi, in contrast to most of the other islands in the biogeographical region of Wallacea, is not truly oceanic, but a composite island at the centre of the Asia-Australia collision zone. Parts of the island were formerly attached to either the Asian or Australian continental margin and became separated from these areas by vicariant processes. For one. in the west, the opening of the Makassar Strait separated West Sulawesi from Sundaland in the Eocene c. 45 Mya.

In the east, the traditional view of collisions of multiple micro-continental fragments sliced from New Guinea with an active volcanic margin in West Sulawesi at different times since the Early Miocene c. 20 Mya has recently been replaced by the hypothesis that extensional fragmentation has followed a single Miocene collision of West Sulawesi with the Sula Spur, the western end of an ancient folded belt of Variscan origin in the Late Paleozoic

HistoryStarting in the 13th century, access to prestige trade goods and to sources of iron started to alter long-standing cultural patterns, and to permit ambitious individuals to build larger political units. It is not known why these two ingredients appeared together; one was perhaps the product of the other. By 1400, a number of nascent agricultural principalities had arisen in the western Cenrana valley, as well as on the south coast and on the west coast near modern Parepare.

The first Europeans to visit the island (which they believed to be an archipelago due to its contorted shape) were the Portuguese sailors Simão de Abreu, in 1523, and Gomes de Sequeira (among others) in 1525, sent from the Moluccas in search of gold, which the islands had the reputation of producing. A Portuguese base was installed in Makassar in the first decades of the 16th century, lasting until 1665, when it was taken by the Dutch. The Dutch had arrived in Sulawesi in 1605 and were quickly followed by the English, who established a factory in Makassar.[17] From 1660, the Dutch were at war with Gowa, the major Makasar west coast power. In 1669, Admiral Speelman forced the ruler, Sultan Hasanuddin, to sign the Treaty of Bongaya, which handed control of trade to the Dutch East India Company.

The Dutch were aided in their conquest by the Bugis warlord Arung Palakka, ruler of the Bugis kingdom of Bone. The Dutch built a fort at Ujung Pandang, while Arung Palakka became the regional overlord and Bone the dominant kingdom. Political and cultural development seems to have slowed as a result of the status quo. In 1905 the entire island became part of the Dutch state colony of the Netherlands East Indies until Japanese occupation in the Second World War. During the Indonesian National Revolution, the Dutch Captain 'Turk' Westerling led campaigns in which hundreds, maybe thousands died during the South Sulawesi Campaign.[18] Following the transfer of sovereignty in December 1949, Sulawesi became part of the federal United States of Indonesia, which in 1950 became absorbed into the unitary Republic of Indonesia.

If you think Sulawesi's geography looks fantastic on the map, just wait until you see it for real. The massive island’s multilimbed coastline is drawn with sandy beaches that fringe coral reefs and a mind-boggling variety of fish. Meanwhile its interior is shaded by impenetrable mountains and jungles that are thick with wildlife, such as rare nocturnal tarsiers and flamboyantly colourful maleo birds. Cultures have been able to independently evolve here, cut off from the rest of the world by the dramatic topography. Meet the Toraja highlanders with their elaborate funeral ceremonies in which buffaloes are sacrificed and balok (palm sugar wine) flows freely; the Minahasans in the far north, who offer spicy dishes of everything from stewed forest rat to grilled fish; and the Bugis, who are mainly found inhabiting Sulawesi's coastal regions and are Indonesia’s most famous seafarers. South Sulawesi:

South Sulawesi(Indonesian: Sulawesi Selatan) is a province in the southern peninsula of Sulawesi. The Selayar Islands archipelago is also part of the province. The 2010 census estimated the population as 8,032,551 which makes South Sulawesi the most populous province on the island (46% of the population of Sulawesi is in South Sulawesi), and the sixth most populous province in Indonesia.

Administrative divisionsFive years after independence, the government issued Law No. 21 of 1950, which became the basis of the legal establishment for the Sulawesi province. Ten years later, the government passed Law No. 47 of 1960 which endorsed the formation of the South/Southeast Sulawesi province. Four years after that, with Act No. 13 of 1964, the provinces of South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi were separated. Forty years later, the South Sulawesi government was split into two, with the regencies of Majene, Mamasa, Mamuju, North Mamuju, and Polewali Mandar were separated off into a new West Sulawesi province on 5 October 2004 under Act No. 26 of 2004. The remaining South Sulawesi Province is divided into 21 regencies and three independent cities, listed below with their (provisional) populations as of the 2010 Census.

Central Sulawesi:Central Sulawesi (Indonesian Sulawesi Tengah) is a province of Indonesia located at the centre of the island of Sulawesi. Its capital and largest city is Palu. The 2010 census recorded a population of 2,633,420 for the province, while the latest official estimate (for January 2014) is 2,839,290. Established in 1964, Central Sulawesi has an area of 61,841.29 km2 (23,877 sq mi).[1] It is bordered by the provinces of Gorontalo to the north, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi and South East Sulawesi to the south, by Maluku to the east, and by the Makassar Strait to the west.

North Sulawesi:North Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Utara) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern peninsula of the island of Sulawesi, on the Minahasa Peninsula. The province's capital and largest city is Manado, and its population was 2,270,596 according to the 2010 census; the latest official estimate (for January 2014) is 2,382,941. Motto: "Si Tou Timou Tumou Tou" (Minahasan), translated in English: "Human purpose in life is to nurture and educate others".

Southeast Sulawesi:Southeast Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Tenggara, abbreviation: Sultra) is a province on the Sulawesi, forming the southeastern peninsula of that island, together with a number of large offshore islands such as Buton, Muna, Kabaena and Wawonii, with smaller islands. The capital is Kendari, on the east coast of the peninsula. The province has no highway road connecting to the rest of the island, and the primary transportation link is a ferry across the Bone Gulf between Watampone (Bone) in South Sulawesi and the port of Kolaka in Southeast Sulawesi.

West SulawesiWest Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Barat) is a province of Indonesia. It is located in the western of the Sulawesi island. Its capital is Mamuju and the 2010 Census recorded a population of 1,158,651; the latest official estimate (for January 2014) is 1,284,620. The province was established in 2004 and used to be part of the South Sulawesi.

Itinerary: Day 01: Arrival – Makassar – City TourUpon arrival at Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar, meeting services. Afterwards, transfer directly to the hotel. In the afternoon we will take you for a short city tour, visiting Fort Rotterdam, Paotere Harbor and Losari Beach for enjoy the sunset. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 02: Makassar – Tana Beru – Tanjung Bira After breakfast, we will take you out on a picturesque drive to Bira. On the way you will visit Tana Beru, a popular place in Indonesia where the Bugisnesse and Makassarese is the expert of wooden boat makers. Lunch en route. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bira.

Day 03: Tanjung Bira – SengkangAfter breakfast you will be transferred to Sengkang. In the afternoon we will take you across the Lake Tempe by motorized Canoe to catch the beautiful view of the sunset over the Lake. Lunch en route. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight at the hotel in Sengkang.

Day 04: Sengkang – MamasaAfter breakfast, you will visit the traditional Silk Factory where you can see the traditional spinning and weaving of silk material by Bugisnese women. Transfer to Mamasa. Lunch en route. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Mamasa.

Day 05: Mamasa (Rante Buda, Tawalian, Osango, Weaving Center)After breakfast, a full day excursions around Mamasa. You will visit Rante Buda, Kampong Tawalian and the village of Osango. Also stop by at the weaving center in Rantesepang Balla for a picnic lunch. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 06: Mamasa – TorajaAfter breakfast, we will drive you down to Polewali onwards to Toraja through Enrekang. Stop by at Puncak Lakawan for refreshment, while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Lunch en route. Will arrived Rantepao in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Rantepao.

Day 07: Toraja (Lemo, Kambira, Suaya, Londa, Kete Kesu)After breakfast, a full day exploring Toraja. First you will visit Lemo to see rows of Tau Tau statues and the hanging graves. Then continue to discover the secrets of baby trees in Kambira. Onwards to Suaya to the graveyard of Kings of Sangalla lies on the hillsides, and then proceed to Londa to see ancient tombs in which the deceased was not buried, but placed among the rocks. At Kete Kesu one of the oldest Torajan villages you can see Tongkonan (the traditional ancestral house, or rumah adat of the Torajan people), and also the old traditional rice barns with colorful woodcarving. Lunch in Rantepao. Dinner and overnight at Hotel.

Day 08: Toraja (Weaving Center, Marante, Nanggala)After breakfast, you will visit Pallawa and Sa’dan (known as the weaving center), Marante and Nanggala, a traditional Toraja village (known for its large Tongkonan with 16 rice-barns). Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Free program until dinner time. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 09: Toraja (Batu Tumonga, Soft Trekking, Rantepao)After breakfast, another full day exploring Toraja. We will drive you to Batu Tumonga best known for its spectacular view of rice terraces. If possible you can walk along the countryside to see the daily life of Torajan people. Lunch will be served at the local restaurant. In the afternoon you will be visiting Rantapao before heading back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Toraja – PendoloAfter breakfast, depart for Pendolo. A drive along the Palmolive plantations. In the late afternoon will arrive in Pendolo, a small village located on the South shore of Lake Poso. Lake Poso is a deep fresh water lake with white sandy beaches. Rising to high, you will find densely forested mountain. This is one of the most beautiful and clearest lakes in the world. Lunch and Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in the Hotel in Pendolo.

Day 11: Pendolo – Tentena Waterfall, Balinese Transmigration Village)After breakfast, depart for Tentena. Lunch in Tentena. Afterwards you will visit a waterfall with twelve steps known as Wera Saluopa in Tonusu and take a walk through a Balinesse transmigration village. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 12: Tentena – PaluAfter breakfast, you will set off for Palu. Lunch en route. Arrive in late afternoon in Palu, the Bugisnesse city. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 13: Palu – Donggala – PaluAfter breakfast, a full day tour to Donggala, with the first stop at Kampong Lere to see the traditional house of Joyo Kodi, the former King of Kaili people. This will be followed by a walk through a fishing village on a sandy beach near the Donggala’s Bay. Relaxing in the beach before drive back to Palu. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 14: Palu – MoutongAfter breakfast, you will set off for a picturesque drive to Moutong. Crossing the Equator in Marissa village. Lunch en route and will arrive in the late afternoon. Dinner at local restaurant and stay overnight at the hotel.

Day 15: Moutong – GorontaloAfter breakfast, the trip will be continued to Gorontalo. Stopping at several places along the road. Lunch en route. Arriving hotel in the afternoon. Gorontalo is a surprising city where the Dutch architecture is still there as evidence. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Gorontalo.

Day 16: Gorontalo – ManadoAfter breakfast, we will bring you out towards Manado, the Capital City of North Sulawesi. Lunch en route. You will pass picturesque village, white sandy beaches and clove plantation. Arriving Manado by late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 17: Manado – Bunaken – ManadoAfter breakfast, you will be transferred by motorized wooden boat to the island of Bunaken, to dive in one of the world most beautiful sea gardens. Tour includes snorkel, fins and lunch on the white sandy beach in Bunaken island. Return to Manado in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 18: Manado (City Tour, Lake Tondano) – Tomohon – ManadoAfter breakfast, start your day with a city tour of Manado, followed by driving to the Minahasa Highlands to see the Waruga, the old Cemeteries of Minahasan Tribe. You will also visit a place where the Minahasan built their traditional houses. Lunch at Tondano Lake. After lunch, proceed to Tomohon, a town located between two active volcanoes, and also to see the Japanese Caves, built during the second world war. Return to Manado in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 19: Manado – DepartureAfter breakfast, free program until transfer to the airport to catch the flight for your next destination.